The Forrest

Drip, drip, drip, drop. “Shut up!” Claire shouted, her face scrunching in disgust. She rolled to her side and realized that her soft blanket was replaced with something INTANGIBLE. Something damp and gritty. Quickly, she sat up and took in her surroundings. What once was a luxurious and EXCLUSIVE bedroom bathed in all shades of pink was now an endless forest draped with shades of green. She rubbed her eyes and pinched herself, hoping that this was a LUCID dream. She stood up, and her face scrunched up again; the damp soil was oozing between her toes. “Ewwww!” She ran to the stream, which was only a couple steps away and washed her feet in the steady CURRENTS. As she struggled to wash off the dirt, she heard a branch snap in the distance. Claire froze.

Flint

“ I guess a PRIMA DONNA like yourself has never even seen dirt before,” a boy’s voice said.

“Who are you calling a prima donna?” Claire looked around and saw a boy staring right at her with his arms crossed. He was short and looked no more than fifteen. From head to toe, he was covered in dirt with leaves caught in his bleach blonde hair.

Claire asked, “Whats your name, is it a SECRET?”

“Flint” he replied.

“Flint? What kind of name is that?”

“ I don’t know what kind of name is Claire?” Claire went to reply, but he cut her off. “Look, you don’t want to be here, and I don’t want you here, so let’s get this over with.”

“Get what over with?”

“Shut up and listen,” Flint said as he sat on the ground. “All I know is that you were sent here to become a better person.” Claire rolled her eyes and flipped her hair when she was about to speak Flint put a hand up. “Hush. Now, all we need to do is find a way to get you back home.” Quickly he stood up and starting walking stopping dead in his tracks. “Where should we go?” He asked.

“I don’t know”

“Look, the CORRUPT thing about this is that only you know how to get there.”

“How should I know?”

“I don’t know. Take a guess.”

“North.” She said as she crossed her arms.

“North.” He repeated and started walking.

“We’re going to walk? Don’t you have a car?” As Flint was walking, he shrugged his shoulders.

An Adventure

As they ventured forth through the bumpy and jagged forest, Claire looked at the sky. She rushed to Flint and rested on hand on his shoulder while pointing the other towards the sky. “Look at that,” she said, “ Isn’t that the most beautiful shade of red you’ve ever seen?”

“Yeah,” he said, his cheeks turning the lightest shade of pink, “beautiful.” He brushed off her hand and shook his head. He said the PRIMARY and most important thing they had to do “We need to build a fire, its getting dark.”

“Oh,” she said, “Do we need some wood?” Feeling awkward she started picking up little branches. Off to the side Flint noticed a pretty flower and picked it up.

After Claire had gathered all of the sticks, flint made a fire by rubbing a couple of sticks together. He looked like a PYROMANIAC. Night crept up fast. They sat next to the fire, staying close to the heat. Claire was looking behind her, feeling like someone was there. When she was about to tell Flint, she was interrupted.

“Look, I know our time together is TEMPORARY, but I shouldn’t have been mean to you.”

Wait. Did he say sorry? Why would he do that? “Thanks.” she said awkwardly.

Flint looked over at Claire and noticed that she was rolled up into a ball.

“Sorry, I don’t have a blanket or coat.” He looked at the flower, his cheeks turning pink.

“What you’re trying to SEDUCE me now?”

“WHAT? NO! Why would I like you? I mean, you’re like what? Five?” He made a fist crushing the flower in his palm.

She stood up and stomped away, looking back only to say, “For your information I’m fourteen!”